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-rw-r--r--Documentation/devicetree/bindings/writing-bindings.rst42
1 files changed, 36 insertions, 6 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/devicetree/bindings/writing-bindings.rst b/Documentation/devicetree/bindings/writing-bindings.rst
index 1ad081de2dd0..f8e0293a7c06 100644
--- a/Documentation/devicetree/bindings/writing-bindings.rst
+++ b/Documentation/devicetree/bindings/writing-bindings.rst
@@ -39,10 +39,22 @@ Overall design
Properties
==========
-- DO make 'compatible' properties specific. DON'T use wildcards in compatible
- strings. DO use fallback compatibles when devices are the same as or a subset
- of prior implementations. DO add new compatibles in case there are new
- features or bugs.
+- DO make 'compatible' properties specific.
+
+ - DON'T use wildcards or device-family names in compatible strings.
+
+ - DO use fallback compatibles when devices are the same as or a superset of
+ prior implementations.
+
+ - DO add new compatibles in case there are new features or bugs.
+
+ - DO use a SoC-specific compatible for all SoC devices, followed by a
+ fallback if appropriate. SoC-specific compatibles are also preferred for
+ the fallbacks.
+
+ - DON'T use bus suffixes to encode the type of interface device is using.
+ The parent bus node already implies that interface. DON'T add the type of
+ device, if the device cannot be anything else.
- DO use a vendor prefix on device-specific property names. Consider if
properties could be common among devices of the same class. Check other
@@ -51,12 +63,21 @@ Properties
- DON'T redefine common properties. Just reference the definition and define
constraints specific to the device.
+- DON'T add properties to avoid a specific compatible. DON'T add properties if
+ they are implied by (deducible from) the compatible.
+
- DO use common property unit suffixes for properties with scientific units.
Recommended suffixes are listed at
https://github.com/devicetree-org/dt-schema/blob/main/dtschema/schemas/property-units.yaml
- DO define properties in terms of constraints. How many entries? What are
- possible values? What is the order?
+ possible values? What is the order? All these constraints represent the ABI
+ as well.
+
+- DON'T make changes that break the ABI without explicit and detailed rationale
+ for why the changes have to be made and their impact. ABI impact goes beyond
+ the Linux kernel, because it also covers other open-source upstream projects.
+
Typical cases and caveats
=========================
@@ -64,7 +85,7 @@ Typical cases and caveats
- Phandle entries, like clocks/dmas/interrupts/resets, should always be
explicitly ordered. Include the {clock,dma,interrupt,reset}-names if there is
more than one phandle. When used, both of these fields need the same
- constraints (e.g. list of items).
+ constraints (e.g. list of items).
- For names used in {clock,dma,interrupt,reset}-names, do not add any suffix,
e.g.: "tx" instead of "txirq" (for interrupt).
@@ -84,6 +105,15 @@ Typical cases and caveats
- "syscon" is not a generic property. Use vendor and type, e.g.
"vendor,power-manager-syscon".
+- Do not add instance index (IDs) properties or custom OF aliases. If the
+ devices have different programming model, they might need different
+ compatibles. If such devices use some other device in a different way, e.g.
+ they program the phy differently, use cell/phandle arguments.
+
+- Bindings files should be named like compatible: vendor,device.yaml. In case
+ of multiple compatibles in the binding, use one of the fallbacks or a more
+ generic name, yet still matching compatible style.
+
Board/SoC .dts Files
====================